Yup. Say what you will about Itagaki but he & his team did a great job with NG: Black. There seemed to be actual exploration in that game and though it was hard it never felt cheap and unfair.
I dunno,NG always seems to screw up when it throws in mercenaries,helicopters,robots,and mechs. It's at its' best when it centers around Lovecraftian conspiracies,demonic fiends, and scary ninja cults.
Glad my game has inspired you,Matt! Hopefully you haven't run into any game breaking bullshit. lol.